Contact
by Some1tookmyname
Summary: What if Booth was badly injured while Brennan was on the run? Would she come to be by his side? And how would she manage to be there for Booth without getting caught?
1. Chapter 1

_Hellooooo, fellow Bones Fans! We're getting close to the premier, but I've been working on this one for a while now and I am eager to get it posted before season 8 begins. _

_This was based on an Anonymous prompt from the Bitesized Bones challenge at the Bones GA Community on LiveJournal. **"What if Booth was badly injured while Brennan was on the run?"**_

_This will be eight installments, posted M,W,F for over the next 2.5 weeks. You will obviously have to ignore anything you see promo or spoiler wise that contradicts my little story. This is all purely from my imagination._

_Special thanks to a couple of the usual suspects, jadedrepartee and RositaLG, for their suggestions and beta work and to Alanna, the best cheerleader a fic writer could ask for._

_Here we go!_

* * *

**Contact**

* * *

"This is very bad." Angela's voice shook as she watched the doctor retreat through the doors of the waiting room.

Hodgins' voice came from behind her. "Booth is strong, Angela. He—"

Angela turned on her heel and faced her husband and friends, tears streaming down her face. "He's not as strong right now as he has been before. Not without Brennan. He's not in a good place to fight this kind of battle." She took a steadying breath. "We have to tell her. She needs to know this is happening. She needs to be here. She'd _want_ to be here."

"I agree that his recovery might be easier for him mentally if she were here, but we have no way to contact her, do we? I mean, unless you know something, Angela." Sweets leveled his gaze at Angela. If anyone would know how to reach Brennan, it would be her.

But Angela shook her head. "I don't…I don't know. Brennan wouldn't do that to me. She wouldn't put me in that position. She would know the FBI would be watching me, anyway. I'm her best friend…" she trailed off.

"Then maybe we go public," Cam suggested. "Get it in the news that an FBI agent has been shot. Brennan's smart. She'll figure out a way to find out if it's Booth."

"She could be anywhere, though. We couldn't be sure she'd see it," Sweets pointed out.

"So what do we do? There must be something," Angela sounded desperate. "Some way…"

"I know how to get in touch with her." A quiet voice came from the back of the group and all eyes turned to Hodgins. "I know how to reach Dr. Brennan."

Angela's eyes grew wide. "Jack!" She gasped. "How…"

"I got a message by courier the day after she left. It wasn't signed, but it was from either her or Max. It said that if it became absolutely necessary that she contact home, I was to place an ad in the Honolulu Craigslist real estate section, listing our condo for rent."

"We don't have a condo in Honolulu," Angela whispered.

"Yes, we do. Cantilever bought one about 30 minutes after I got the letter, just in case the Feds are watching. The message gave me very specific wording. _'Big Island condo for rent. Fully furnished, beach views, washer/dryer and pest control included. Call and ask for Jack Stanley.'_ The note said if I had to place the message to be sure to get a burner phone with the DC area code, then reiterated again it was only to be done in case of an emergency."

"This definitely qualifies as an emergency," Angela said.

"So all we have to do is get a phone and place the ad?" Cam asked.

"I have the phone; got it right away, just in case. I figured if I needed it, I wouldn't want to waste any time. "

"So then we just place the ad and wait," Cam said.

"Yeah. I don't know how often she's checking it, but Craigslist ads cycle out after 10 days, so I'd say she's looking for it at least that often, just in case."

"Guys, you're forgetting, she can't just show up here. She'll be arrested," Sweets reminded them.

Cam took a deep breath. "Get out of here, Dr. Sweets."

"What?"

"Go. Get out of here. You work for the FBI. I don't want you here when we decide if we're going to do this or not."

"Hey, I'm on your side. He needs her and she deserves to know."

"That may be, but it's better for _you _if you're in the dark. Neither Booth nor Brennan would want any of us compromising our careers for this. I can protect the three of us," she motioned between herself and Angela and Hodgins. "But I have no influence at the FBI. You'll be out on your ass if they find out you were involved in contacting her and didn't tell them."

Sweets looked at all three Jeffersonian team members before nodding slowly. "Fine." He blew out a deep breath. "Fine, I'll go. But if there is anything I can do, promise me you'll ask. I want to help him, too; you know?"

"We will, man," Hodgins assured him.

"Maybe you should go contact Rebecca. Figure out how to tell Parker? That's helpful in a… less illegal way," suggested Angela, squeezing his arm in comfort.

"Yeah. That's…that's good. I'll do that."

"I'll call you when he's out of surgery," Cam promised.

"Okay." Sweets picked up his suit jacket from the back of the hospital chair where it was draped. "Okay," he said again before leaving the waiting room while fishing the phone out of his pocket.

"I don't envy him that phone call," Cam said once he was out of sight.

"I'm more worried about the one we're going to have coming in," Hodgins said as he grabbed Angela's hand and gave it a supportive squeeze.

"Yeah," she agreed, her eyes filling with tears once again. "Me, too."

* * *

_Hope to see you Wednesday for chapter 2!_


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thank you ALL for the incredible response to this story. I failed to get thank you messages out. I'm still going to do them, but I wanted you to know now that your reviews and follows and favorites are very much appreciated. THANK YOU!_**

* * *

Despite the fact that they were often in a city only long enough to catch six hours of sleep before moving on, Brennan always made it a point to know the location of three things: The nearest airport, the nearest train station and the nearest internet access.

Her links to home.

Her father made it clear that they weren't to develop any habits and any habits they'd once had needed to be erased. No daily coffees. No browsing second hand bookstores. No walks to the park for fresh air. "We don't live that life anymore. We live a new life," he'd told her.

But she knew the life they were leading wasn't living. It was existing; and that wasn't the same thing.

She'd drawn the line when he'd said no libraries.

"It's too dangerous, Honey. Your face is on book jackets. Someone might recognize you. "

"Dad, once a week I need to access the internet. Once a week to check to be sure that I'm not needed at home. I'm not going to linger in the aisles or spend hours on the computer. I will be in and out within ten minutes."

"That kind of behavior is what gets people caught."

"That kind of behavior is what will keep me going."

"It's too dangerous, Tempe."

"Then I will buy a laptop and access it from wherever we are."

"That's traceable."

"I know."

She could see the moment he realized she wasn't going to back down and she wasn't surprised when he tried a different tack.

"Well, then, let me go. I can check it for you. I'm more anonymous than you are."

But she didn't trust him. Not for this. She didn't trust him to really look and she didn't trust him to tell her if he saw the message she was both hoping for and dreading all at once.

"Once a week, Dad. It doesn't even have to be the same day every time. But one day per week I will be in a library, using the internet. It's not negotiable." Her heart was thudding in her chest. As much as she hated it, she needed him. For papers, for plans, for connections.

For adult conversation.

She didn't want to cross him, though; didn't want to fight with him. The constant tension was already weighing her down. There was a dull throbbing in her right temple all the time and a kink in her neck that would not go away.

She needed the comfort the weekly task brought her. No message from Hodgins meant everything was all right at home. As all right as it could be, anyhow, and she could keep going for another week.

She had known from the moment she'd decided to go that she would need a lifeline to home. Some way to know if she was needed, if something had changed.

The only person she knew who could do it-_would_ do it- without hesitation and with equal parts logic and heart, was Hodgins. He'd broken the law before, stolen evidence, shown a distrust for authority and a willingness to participate in conspiracies. But he was also aware of emotions and feelings. He understood the heart. If Booth needed her beyond logic, beyond practicality, Hodgins would recognize that, too.

So if he placed the ad, she would not miss it.

It had been seven weeks. Seven libraries. Seven computers. Fourteen searches of the Honolulu Craigslist Real Estate section (she always checked twice) and nothing. And that was a good thing.

Mostly.

She dreamed of the day that she would log on and see the ad. _'Big Island condo for rent. Fully furnished, beach views, washer/dryer and pest control included. Call and ask for Jack Stanley.' _And despite the fact that the message could mean very bad things, in the moments she allowed herself wishful thoughts, it always meant she could go home.

It was the eighth week that it all went to hell.

Despite her father's protests, she had insisted that he stop as they drove through a mid-sized suburb of Indianapolis.

"Christine needs to eat. I haven't checked for the ad in a week. You can feed her while I look. Ten minutes, Dad. Enough for some rice cereal and a diaper change. That will keep her happy for the next one hundred miles at least."

"Honey, we really shouldn't stop."

"You said the next town was small. I can't be sure they have a library or that it will be open once we are there. We're stopping."

Max sighed, making a few loops around the middle of the town before spotting a library. "Ten minutes, Tempe. That's all we can afford."

She nodded and handed him the diaper bag. "A tablespoon of water. The rice cereal is in the bowl. And she needs some diaper ointment when you change her. She was a bit red when we stopped earlier."

"Okay. Hurry," he urged her.

Brennan stepped out of the car and shut the door on her father's worried look. Despite having done this seven times before, she found her anxiety level was high.

Normal. She had to act normal.

She took steadying breaths and resisted the urge to rush up the steps and into the library.

She pushed through the main doors, past the circulation desk and into the center of the library. She began to turn a small circle until she saw a bank of computers.

Resisting the urge to rush, Brennan forced herself to walk slowly to the first available computer. She took a seat, took a deep breath and began to type.

Three mouse clicks and two keywords later, she couldn't breathe.

The ad was there.

Something was wrong.

She yanked a pen and paper from her purse and wrote down the number from the ad. Her hand was shaking, and even though she tried to convince herself to remain calm, that perhaps Hodgins had good news, everything inside her was clenching and flipping in turmoil.

There was only one way to find out why he'd placed the ad.

She closed the page, kept the number in her hand and left the library in a half run. She didn't care if she drew attention to herself just then.

She reached the car.

"Hey! There's Mommy!" Max smiled as Christine gurgled at the sight of her mother, but his smile quickly faded when she spoke.

"I need the phone, Dad. Right now."

* * *

_How about that new promo? Woo-hoo! The premier is inching closer!_


	3. Chapter 3

One thing Hodgins had not stopped to consider was the sheer number of calls he would get from people _other_ _than_ Brennan regarding the condo for sale in Hawaii. Every time the phone rang, a chill would race through is body, Angela would tense up and meet his gaze from wherever she was (which was never far from him, if she could help it) and Cam would stand stock-still and take in a deep breath.

But after two days of calls, they hadn't heard from her.

"He's not improving." Angela whispered to Cam at the end of the second full day of not hearing from Brennan. "I've been here all day, holding his hand, talking to him, but it's not making any difference."

"We can't even be sure he knows we're here."

"He needs Brennan."

"We've done what we can. We both know she'll call as soon as she sees the ad. She initiated the system, so she'll use it. All we can do it wait."

"I know," Angela sighed. "I don't even know what we'll say to her. This is going to crush her."

"We'll tell her the truth. It's a gunshot wound and he's critical. What to do is up to her."

"She'll come back. You know that."

Cam watched the steady heart rate scroll by on the monitor and listened to the beeps indicating that Booth was still alive. "Yeah, she probably will."

Angela hesitated. "If she does…if she does come back, are you going to turn her in? You told Hodgins you believe in the system…"

"I know what I said. I spent all day in the lab going over things, reexamining things, trying to find a way to get that warrant rescinded."

"Any luck?"

"No. I've looked at it a hundred times since she's left and I just don't see anything new," she admitted. "But, to answer your question, no. I won't turn her in. That would kill them both. I won't do that."

Angela nodded. "Let's hope she calls soon. If he doesn't improve…"

"Yeah," Cam said knowing that the opposite of improving meant the very worst. "I'm taking the next shift. You and Hodgins go home; spend time with Michael."

"Okay." Angela stood and leaned in next to Booth, speaking softly into his ear. "I'll be back, okay? You just hang in there. I'm sure she'll be here, soon."

"I'll call if anything changes," Cam promised.

"Likewise," Angela answered. "Was Hodgins still in the hall when you came in?"

"Yeah."

"Have a good night, Cam." She said as she pulled open the door to find Hodgins standing in the doorway, looking wild eyed. "What's wrong, Jack? Did she call? Did something happen?"

"Sssshhh, no. Just…" Hodgins stepped into Booth's room, herding Angela with him. When the door fell shut he said, "We're being watched."

"What you mean?" Asked Cam.

"I should say they're watching Booth. Watching his room. Two agents, one on either end of the hall. One in a suit, one in casual clothes, pretending to be visitors."

"How do you know they're agents?" Angela wanted to know.

"They're not as sly as they think. I've caught them looking at each other several times. Not once has a doctor or nurse stopped to talk to them about a patient and when the one in the suit went to get a dollar out of his wallet for the vending machine, I saw his gun."

"They're waiting for Dr. Brennan," Cam surmised.

"Yep. Which means that when she does come, we're going to have to figure out how to get her past them."

"Like this wasn't complicated enough," said Angela.

"We should have expected it," Cam said, shaking her head. "We're not the only ones who would figure out she'd want to be with him right now."

"But we are the only ones who know how to contact her. At least we have that in our favor." Angela pointed out.

As if on cue, the phone rang.

Hodgins looked between Cam and Angela, then hit the "talk" button. "Hello?"

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone and then. "I…I was wondering if the condo in Honolulu is still available?"

Jack Hodgins closed his eyes at the familiar voice on the other end of the line and quoted off the script he'd received via courier. "Yes, it is."

"Can you tell me about the layout? I'm curious about the bones of the home."

He answered as he'd been directed to if he was free to talk. "It has a very open concept design. Good bones."

"Dr. Hodgins."

"Dr. Brennan."

"What's wrong?"

"There's…" Hodgins tripped over his own words now. "There's a situation."

"With Pelant?"

"No…with Booth."

"What's wrong?" She asked again, this time in a demanding, terrified whisper. "What's happened to Booth?"

"He's…he's in critical condition at George Washington." It was the hardest message Hodgins had ever had to relay. "He's been shot."

The other end of the phone was silent for a moment and Hodgins briefly wondered if their connection had been severed. "Dr. B?"

"I'm coming."

"We knew you would. " He sighed in relief. "But you should know the FBI is watching his room, watching us…you have to be careful."

"I'll contact you when I get into the area. I'll try to come up with a plan. You should, too."

"Okay."

She disconnected without another word. Hodgins looked at his wife, his boss and then at his friend in the hospital bed.

"She's coming to D.C.," he told them all. "She's coming home."


	4. Chapter 4

Brennan stood in the library parking lot, staring at the phone for a few seconds after she disconnected. Her heart and her mind were racing.

This couldn't be real.

Logically, she knew that it was. This was exactly the kind of thing she had created the contact plan for. This was exactly the reason she had entrusted Hodgins with that plan. She had known he would know when to use it.

This _was _real and she needed to get to Booth.

"We have to go back," she told her father.

"Go back?" Max sounded confused.

"Yes. We have to go to DC. Booth…" She had to swallow the sob that was threatening to escape. "Booth has been shot. He's in critical condition. I have to be with him."

"Tempe, that can't happen."

"Staying away is not an option."

"Going is not an option either."

"This is not open for debate, Dad!"

"Booth is strong. He's a fighter. He'll be fine," Max tried to reassure her.

"You don't know that! You don't—" She could hear her voice rising, verging on sounding hysterical. She took a deep breath and tried to shift back out of heart overdrive. "I didn't get any details from Hodgins, but the fact that he contacted me and did not discourage my return tells me that it is imperative that I be there."

"You will be arrested," Max said flatly.

"I am going to devise a plan. Hodgins is thinking of one as well. We will figure this out."

"You will be arrested and Christine will be taken from you."

"She will be with Angela and Hodgins. There are papers in place."

"Honey, be reasonable. This won't work."

"I will take every precaution." She held out her hand. "Please give me the keys. We need to leave."

"The FBI is parked at the hospital. They are waiting for you on either side of his room!"

She froze, her hand in mid-air. "I didn't tell you that."

"Tempe—"

"You knew." She didn't phrase it as a question, because it wasn't one. She was certain.

"Honey, please—"

"That's why you showed up yesterday in such a hurry to move further west. That's why you didn't want me to stop here today. Because you knew the ad would be there." Her face was contorted in anger and disgust. "You knew!"

"I only have your best interests at heart. Yours and Christine's."

"What is in my best interest is not up to you. You lost that right 20 years ago." In one swift motion she snatched the keys from his hand. "We are going home. Christine and I. Without you."

"Tempe, this isn't logical."

"For years you and Booth have encouraged me to stop being logical all the time. Well congratulations, Dad. It's finally worked." She leaned in to check the buckles on Christine's car seat. Satisfied her daughter was secure, she stood up straight, shut the back door and opened the driver's side front door. "You are very resourceful. I'm certain you will find a way to wherever it is you choose to go next. Just be sure it's not anywhere near me and my family." She got behind the wheel and fastened her own seatbelt. "We are finished," she said firmly, turning the ignition.

"You don't mean that."

"I really do." Her mouth was drawn tight, her chin lifted in determination. "I'm going to back out now. It would serve you well to move out of the way." She slammed her door shut against his pleas for reason and logic. Placing the car in reverse she pulled away without hesitation or regret.

Her only thoughts were of Booth.

* * *

_See you Wednesday, I hope!_


	5. Chapter 5

Hodgins dutifully left the ad up, fielding calls for two more days, before he heard from Brennan again.

"I'm wondering about the bones of the house."

"It has good bones. Nice layout."

"How is he?"

Hodgins wished he had something more encouraging to say. "No real change."

"I can be in DC tomorrow. I need you or Angela to get Christine from me. You have to keep her, just in case."

She didn't have to say in case of what. Hodgins understood. "We're still working on finding a way to get you in here. We're thinking in plain sight is probably best. Scrubs, a stethoscope, things that blend you into the environment."

"I thought similarly, perhaps during a shift change in the nursing staff," she told him. "But the agents will be a problem."

"Yeah."

"I have changed my appearance, but they are undoubtedly making note of everyone who goes into Booth's room. They will recognize me."

"We need to get rid of them." Hodgins said. "We're working on that."

"At the very least they will need to be distracted long enough for me to enter."

"And get out."

"Hodgins, since I can't access my own funds, I may need monetary assistance at some point. My father was helping me, but—"

The entomologist cut her off. "Whatever you need."

"Thank you." She breathed out a sigh that Hodgins would have sworn was one of relief. "For now, the issue at hand is Christine. Tomorrow, 4 o'clock, you or Angela must meet me," she instructed. "Leave the Jeffersonian with a baby carrier covered by a blanket. If anyone is watching they will assume you left with Michael. Go to the zoo, pushing the empty carrier and a stroller inside. There is a bench in front of the chimpanzee exhibit. Sit there. I will meet you."

"Dr. Brennan—"

"I suspect that you might be a better choice than Angela. She may have a hard time keeping her emotions in check. We can't afford to draw any attention."

"Okay."

"Get rid of the agents, Dr. Hodgins. Once I know Christine is safe, I won't want to wait."

"I'll do my best." But he was speaking to no one. She had already hung up.

Hodgins chuckled and disconnected the call. "She's bossy as ever, Booth," he said to the man lying in the bed in front of him. But then he sobered quickly. "You'd be so pissed at me for helping her do this. But I figure either you're going to kill me for helping her or she will for not helping her and no offense, man, but I'm not about to cross Dr. B. She scares me way more than you do. Plus, if wanting to kill me gets you up out of that bed, then hey, I'll take it." He sighed. "The truth is, if I were in your shoes…I'd want Angela with me. I just wish you could tell me how to get rid of the two agents out there. "

A voice came from the doorway. "I think I can help you with that."

"Sweets, you need to learn to knock."

"Oh, I'm in the wrong here?" Sweets closed the door behind him and crossed to the foot of the bed. "You need to learn how to be more covert. I could have been anyone."

"Didn't Cam tell you to leave?" Hodgins deflected.

"I'm just here visiting my friend." A pained look crossed the psychologist's face. "No change?"

"No. "

"She's coming?"

"Maybe."

Sweets nodded. "When?"

"If she was coming, which I didn't say she was, I would say soon."

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yeah. I think I can help."

"I didn't ask," Hodgins reiterated.

Sweets shrugged. "Ask me what?"

Hodgins nodded. "You here for a while? I need to go talk to Angela."

"Yeah, sure. I have a meeting in a couple of hours, but I planned to stay until three."

"Alright. One of us will be back then." Hodgins crossed to the door and then turned back to Sweets. "You'll call if…"

"Yeah. I'll call if something changes."

Hodgins nodded and left Sweets and Booth alone. Sweets was quiet for a while, but the silence was more than he could handle.

"I'm going to 'shrink' you now, Booth. I know you hate that, but you don't seem especially willing to get up and fight with me at the moment and I think you need to hear what I have to say."

He waited, almost as if he expected some kind of response and maybe he did.

He didn't get one.

"I think you're hiding in there. In that place. This unconscious state. I bet you're dreaming, too, right? Like after your tumor. And that place is probably way better than reality right now. I get that." Sweets searched Booth's form for a reaction of any kind.

Nothing.

"But here's the thing, Booth. We all need you, all of us. You are who we all look to for leadership and guidance…you're our guy. But none of us needs you more than Dr. Brennan. I know that place you are right now is better, but this place? This life? It's a mess, dude. She's coming back here. She's going to risk it all to sit here and hold your hand. She thinks-we all think- you need her to heal. But it's a bad idea. The squints are doing what they can to make sure it's safe, but come on, Booth. They're scientists, not covert operations experts. You have to wake up before she gets here. Wake up and help us bring her back here safe. Work this from the inside. Clear her so your real life can be better than whatever dream you're having right now."

The room was filled with nothing but the steady beeping and whooshing of medical machines and Sweets mentally chastised himself for believing that maybe, just maybe, Booth would respond.

"You know the doctor's say there's no reason you shouldn't wake up. You just…aren't. So I think you need to reconsider what you're doing here. If you won't get up for me or for yourself, wake up for Dr. Brennan. You've always said it was your job to protect her. Protect her now."

Silence. Of course.

"Fine," Sweets said, after a while. "Fine. I guess I'll help the Squints. I mean, clearly you aren't going to do it, so…so I guess I will. I can do this, right? I mean, I'm a smart guy. I can figure this out. We can get her in here. Maybe then you'll realize what you need to do. Because if they catch her, Booth…if they find her here? Game over. We've lost. And I KNOW you don't want that to happen. So snap out of it. If I'm going to help, then you should, too."

And so Lance Sweets sat for two more hours without saying another word, formulating just how he could help get Booth's partner to his bedside without losing his job.

* * *

_See you Friday!_


	6. Chapter 6

"There is no way in hell you are going instead of me!"

"Angie, be reasonable. This whole thing has been upsetting—"

Angela slammed her hands on her desk, cutting off her husband's words. "To all of us, Jack, not just to me!"

"No. No, of course not just to you, but, you're her best friend, Angie. Besides Booth, this has been hardest for you. And handing off Christine to us has to be…casual."

"Casual," she repeated, her tone flat and her eyebrow arched.

"Yeah. We can't draw attention to her."

"So what, you think I'll make a scene?"

"We just think I might be the less…emotional choice."

"Brennan thinks that, too?"

"She suggested maybe I should be the one to meet her."

Angela drew herself up straight. "I'm going."

"Babe, think about it. You haven't seen her in months. She's going to fork over her kid to you and won't know when or if she's going to see her again. It's going to be tough."

"And you think you can handle it better than I can?"

"Well…yeah."

"Too bad. It's not up for debate. She's my best friend and it's been a terrible summer. Just awful. And Christine…I miss them, Jack. I need to see them. I can keep myself in check. I can. But I have to go. I have to see her face when I promise her I will take care of Christine. I need to look her in the eye when I promise to love her daughter forever, because we can't know how this is going to end up." Her voice cracked and her tears spilled over, the enormity of the latest developments overwhelming her.

Hodgins rounded her desk and rested his hands on her upper arms. "Hey, hey, hey. It's okay. If you think you can hold it together tomorrow, I believe you, okay? But if you have any doubts that you can, you need to let me go."

"I can do it."

"Yeah?"

Angela nodded. "Yeah. I just…when we agreed all those months ago to be Christine's guardians, I never really thought it would happen, you know? And now…now it really might."

"Well, if we're totally successful, it won't come to that, right?"

"Right," Angela sniffed. "Anymore thoughts on how to get rid of the guards?"

"I think Sweets is working on something."

"Sweets? I thought we were keeping him out of this."

"I didn't ask him." Hodgins shrugged. "I'm not responsible for what he does on his own."

Angela smiled a sad smile. "Brennan once thought she didn't have any friends. These days, that couldn't be less true, could it?"

"Definitely not."

**B&B**

Once Sweets was back at the Hoover, he had a plan and he quickly began to put it into action. He nodded at Cullen's secretary and took a seat in the waiting area of his boss' office.

"Dr. Hardin." He greeted the other occupant in the space; a young man in a suit.

"Dr. Sweets," the man nodded. "I wasn't aware you were joining us for this meeting."

"Oh, I'm not. You're the go-to on this. I just came from the hospital, so I thought I'd give Director Cullen an update on Agent Booth's condition."

"How is he?"

"The same. " Sweets felt only a brief flash of guilt before he took a deep breath and continued. "You know, I gotta say I was surprised to see the agents stationed at the hospital."

"And why is that?" The other man asked.

"Well, I just thought you were sticking to my old profile of Dr. Brennan."

"We are. I believe your inability to do so is why you were removed from the case."

"But if she is hyper-rational…you have to know she won't show up at the hospital. A hyper-rational person isn't going risk it all by turning up now. "

The other man looked as if he were considering Sweets' words, so Sweets pressed on. "On the other hand, if you think she might show up, then you have to admit she isn't hyper-rational, which makes the foundation of your case shaky at best."

"What's your point?" The other doctor asked, his voice taking on a defensive tone.

"Nothing!" Sweets feigned innocence. "I just know how Cullen hates wasted man hours, so I was surprised to see two agents at the hospital. Thought maybe you'd changed your mind about the profile. It was just a statement. Sorry you feel defensive."

"I don't."

"Okay." Sweets checked his watch. "Listen you can update Cullen on Booth's condition, right? I've got an appointment waiting for me in my office."

"Yeah, sure."

Sweets clapped Dr. Hardin on the shoulder and stood. "Thanks. And good luck. I heard if all goes well here, Cullen is eyeing you for that Seattle position you were talking about."

"Really?" The other man looked up and Sweets had to bite back a smile.

"_Gotcha,"_ he thought to himself. To Dr. Hardin he said, "Cullen's a good guy. You do right by him and he'll do right by you."

"We've got family in Seattle," Dr. Hardin sounded wistful as he twisted his wedding band.

"Well, I hope it goes your way," Sweets said. "I've got to go. Good luck," he offered again and strode out the door and down the hall.

Lance Sweets wasn't especially cunning or sneaky. He wasn't especially adept at manipulation in the interrogation room or at tricking suspects into confessions.

But he knew people. He could read them, understand them. And sometimes that meant that he could play them.

He was fairly certain he'd read Dr. Hardin correctly.

And if he had, if his plan worked, there would be a much clearer path for Brennan by the end of the day.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: I got some review replies out, but not all and for that I'm so sorry. I swear to Booth (or Brennan or Hodgins or whomever floats your boat) that I will do better this chapter. Thank you all for your kind words._

_Also, I said this story would be eight installments. I was wrong. It's going to be nine. For that, I am not sorry. :)_

_Special thanks to Jena for pushing me past the hump on this chapter and to Laura for the extra hard work. And no thanks at all to my son, who decided he was NOT going to school this morning and engaged me in battle of wills, making this chapter later than usual. And in case you are interested, yes. I won. He is in school. Of course._

* * *

Angela was thankful that big sunglasses were in fashion. Her tears would be less obvious behind the large, dark frames on her face, because despite what she had told her husband, she knew it would take every ounce to strength she had to keep herself together once she saw her best friend.

But there was no way in hell she was going to miss the chance to see Brennan after all this time.

Not when she had things to say and promises to make.

She paid her admission. _"The baby is free ma'am,"_ and pushed her way through the main gate, stopping only long enough to consult her zoo map to find the chimpanzee exhibit. Once she located it, she aimed the empty stroller to the right and began to make her way to the designated spot.

**B&B**

Brennan watched as Angela took her seat on the bench in front of the chimpanzee exhibit, parking the empty stroller beside her. She needed to be sure Angela hadn't been followed before she joined her.

She was surprised and overwhelmed by how much she wanted to run to her friend. But she was still a fugitive. She couldn't be caught. She had to be cautious, and she needed to keep their meeting fast.

But more than anything, she needed Angela to hold it together.

She used to be strong. She used to be able to compartmentalize, but since she'd seen the ad, Brennan had been hanging on by a tenuous thread. Her emotional sanity was shredded into raw, irreparable bits and she knew one teary eyed, sympathetic look from Angela would send her right over the edge.

She waited for 15 minutes, scanning the area for anyone that may be watching for her. She'd gotten good at observing, good at noticing, and when she was finally confident that there were no FBI agents in the exhibit, she decided to make her move.

She leaned down into the stroller next to her and stroked her daughter's hair.

"Are you ready?" She asked the baby, kissing her tiny forehead.

Christine merely touched her mother's cheek with her hand and Brennan swallowed hard, determined to keep a brave face.

"Okay. We're going to go see Angela now, like I explained earlier. You're going to stay with her for a little while. Remember that I love you, Christine. No matter what."

The baby gurgled at her mother and Brennan responded with a watery smile before standing straight, taking a deep breath and heading towards her best friend.

**B&B**

Of all the things Angela had contemplated saying to her best friend once she saw her again, what she actually said was nothing she'd ever imagined.

"Blonde, huh?" She didn't turn her head, just glanced out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes. It seemed the best choice. It certainly doesn't stand out." Brennan stared straight ahead. "How's Booth?"

"The same. No change." She heard Brennan sigh. "Do you want to know what happened?"

"I don't suppose how it happened is as important as _that_ it happened." Brennan said. "I just need to see him."

Angela plowed forward anyway. "He walked in on a robbery at a liquor store. Wrong place, wrong time. He never even saw it coming."

Brennan's next question surprised Angela.

"A liquor store? Has…" she swallowed hard. "Has he been drinking?"

"It's been a hard summer, Brennan," Angela's tone was more bitter than she meant for it to be and when she saw Brennan's hand clench tightly at her side, she softened a bit. "But no. Not really drinking. Not like you're imagining, anyway. Just on the really bad days he comes to our house because it's too hard to be alone. We do a few shots, tell a few stories…but that night he never made it over."

"And he's not showing any improvement?"

"No. And the doctors say there's no reason that he can't wake up. He just…isn't. I think he needs you."

Brennan nodded slightly, but stayed facing forward. "Do you know when the nurses' shift change is?"

"Nine o'clock. They wear maroon scrubs. There's a pair in the bottom of my stroller for you. And Sweets got rid of one guard, somehow. We'll distract the other one."

"How?"

"We'll figure it out, Brennan. There's a small alcove on the west side of the main building on the ground floor where the nurses take their smoke breaks. It has an alarm. You have to slide a key card to get in. At exactly 8:45 for one minute I will disable the alarm and you can just walk in. That will put you in the building, two floors beneath Booth. He's in room 342."

"Okay."

"You'll have about 2 hours with him, and then you'll have to leave. The nurses do a check every two and a half hours. Again, one of us will distract the guard and you will have to slip out. Go out the way you came in. Entrances and exits have cameras. The smoking area doesn't."

"Okay," Brennan repeated.

"Does that all make sense? Just leave the guard to us. Use the alcove. Wear the scrubs."

"In at 8:45, shift change at 9. I've got it."

"Good."

They were both silent for several minutes. Christine had fallen asleep in her stroller while they talked, and Angela turned to look at her friend, who was studying the sleeping child as though trying to memorize her features.

"Ange…"

"You're going to see her again, okay? No dramatic goodbyes, Brennan. It's just going to be for today. There is a new burner phone in the empty baby seat under the blanket. Tomorrow I will call you and we'll set up a way to bring her back to you. It's all going to be fine."

"You can't know that. If I get caught—"

"You won't."

"Just…just promise me you'll love her, Ange. Please."

"I already do. And I will, for forever, but it's not going to come to that."

"You can't know that."

"You _won't _get caught and Booth _is_ going to get better and we _are_ going to clear your name. And then we can get back to the way things are supposed to be, Brennan. For all of us."

"She's started food. She likes squash, but not peas. And she has a little diaper rash. She's prone to them, so you have to change her often."

"Brennan, don't."

"There are pictures in her diaper bag. I'd like it if you'd show them to her sometimes."

"I won't need to. You'll be with her. You and Booth."

"And please make sure she sees Parker every now and then. Siblings are important."

"Stop! Just…please. Stop."

Brennan reached across and squeezed Angela's hand. "I love you, Ange. Thank you for doing this. All of it." Then she reached forward slightly and took her daughter's small foot in her hand, rubbing her thumb over her tiny toes. "Be good, Christine. And remember that I love you."

And with that, she stood, grabbed Angela's empty stroller and walked away, leaving her best friend and her daughter behind.

* * *

_*waves* Thanks for reading!_


	8. Chapter 8

_Happy Birthday to NatesMama, who assures me she will hurt someone if this story ends the way she thinks it might. I'm not a-scared. (I totally am, though.)_

* * *

_._

Brennan considered going so far as to bring a cigarette with her to better blend in in the smoking alcove, but decided against it because she didn't want to smell like smoke when she saw him.

A part of her recognized the absurdity in that thought. He wouldn't be awake; he wouldn't be aware of what she smelled like. But another part of her felt that, externally, so many things were already so different. She was blonde now, with brown contacts. She used different detergent; had changed her soap and lotions and shampoos.

She just couldn't add one more change to the pile.

Not when everything inside of her was the same. Or stronger.

She loved him and she was more certain than ever before that she always would.

There wasn't anyone outside when she arrived, which she attributed to the upcoming shift change. Arriving at 8:42 to account for the differences between her watch and Angela's, she waited near the door and kept checking her watch. Within two minutes she saw the keycard machine's light turn from red to green. Sliding a random business card through the machine to simulate the proper action in case anyone was watching, she pushed the door open and entered the hospital.

She had 15 minutes to get upstairs and into Booth's room. It was a large hospital, but not one she was unfamiliar with. Avoiding elevators was best, she decided, and opted for the nearby stairwell instead.

She wanted to run, to take the stairs two at a time, and though it wasn't unusual to see someone running in a hospital, she thought it wise to bide her time. Getting to his floor early wouldn't help and since she had to linger somewhere, a mostly deserted stairwell was the best choice.

The doors from the stairwell had a small window and when she peered out, she could see she was directly to the left of the nurses' station.

There were four hallways that led away from the station, but she didn't know which one she needed. She could go left or right out the door or straight past the nurses' station down either side.

Four choices.

Three chances to get it wrong. Three extra chances of getting caught.

She checked her watch. Five minutes to nine. Nurses were starting to gather at the station.

Her chance was coming.

Every moment she had to wait seemed an eternity; every second in that stairwell was a chance for discovery; every peek through the window, a risk.

But none of that mattered.

She had a plan. A goal.

She was going to see Booth.

Finally, the clock on the wall behind the nurses said nine and there was a sea of maroon scrubs gathered around charts and orders, conferring before one shift left and another began.

Brennan pushed out the door, looked left and looked right. Seeing no one in either direction, she had to assume Booth's room, and the FBI agent looking for her, were down one of the halls on either side of the nurses.

She chose the hall on the left, and strode confidently past the station, as if she had every right to be there. As if she knew where she was going.

She released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding when she saw Cam at the end of the hall, chatting merrily with a tall, dark haired agent. She had chosen the correct hallway. Cam had the man angled with his back turned three quarters away from Brennan. Brennan made her way down the hall as Cam laughed and placed her hand on the agent's arm. At another time, Brennan may have found it amusing that Cam's method of distraction was flirtation.

But she found room 342 and didn't care anymore about Cam's flirting.

She slipped inside, closing the door behind her with as much speed and as little sound as possible.

It took her eyes a moment to adjust to the dim room, lit only by the glow of machine screens and moonlight. But once she could see, she couldn't help the gasp that escaped her as her hand flew to her mouth.

"Booth! Oh, god!" She said into her palm.

She'd never known a man as strong and powerful as Booth could look so small.

It was as if he were the center of a spider web made of wires and cords, each connected to machines that measured and monitored and tracked the things that meant he was alive.

A soft voice came from the back, dark, corner of the room. "Hey, it's okay."

She jumped, but Hodgins was beside her now and she was grateful for his presence as she gathered her strength. "No change today?" She asked.

"Not yet. I think there will be, soon, though."

Logic tried to break through. "You can't know that, Hodgins. Medical science still doesn't-" She broke off when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"You've seen the things that Booth can do." She turned to look at him in the dim light, and he gave her a gentle smile. "Keep that faith, now."

She nodded and gave him a watery smile, unable to summon any arguments about faith in Booth. "Thank you."

"Sure." Hodgins looked at Booth, then back at Brennan. "Angie said to remind you that you have two hours. You have to leave at 11. One of us will take care of the guard."

She nodded.

"Go. Talk to him. He's missed you." Hodgins dropped his hand and turned to leave. "We all have."

She barely heard him slip out of the room.

She pulled a chair up to her partner's bedside, setting it so close there was almost no room for her knees between the seat and his bed. She didn't register the discomfort.

She took his hand in both of hers and finally let the tears fall as she brought his hand to her cheek.

"I'm here, Booth. I'm here."

* * *

_One to go..._


	9. Epilogue

_Where he was, was __**easy**__._

_He didn't think there was a better word for it, but his mind was so pleasantly foggy that he didn't spend any time trying to figure out if there was._

_He was in a park; gentle sloping hills and green grass, and there was a playground to the left and big trees to the right. Bones was pushing Christine in a swing, not really high at all, but the baby shrieked with laughter and the giggles tumbled though the air and into the distance so that it echoed pleasantly all around him. Parker scaled a tree, and though it seemed high, Booth wasn't worried. Bad things didn't happen in places like this._

_He couldn't explain how he knew that. He just did. _

_He felt light, content, because here, nothing could touch them._

_Here was the only place he wanted to be._

_He was vaguely aware that this place, this moment, was going on for longer than it should, but again, the lethargic happiness wasn't something that allowed him to figure out why._

_The first burst of cold was like a pinprick. Nothing major. An irritating draft. Bones pushed on, Christine laughed on and Parker climbed on. _

_But the cold spread. He could feel it. It started in his heart and moved outwards, invading his chest, then streaming into his limbs before settling in his fingers and toes._

_He looked up and Parker was gone._

_He turned to the left and the swing set was deserted. _

_The cold in his chest became a burn and he began to run desperately._

_Bad things were happening. Where had his family gone?_

_He was yelling now. "Bones? Bones!" But everything sounded like he was underwater and he couldn't get his voice to be loud enough. _

_He spotted her then, on top of a hill in the distance. She couldn't have gotten there so fast and yet there she was. She turned to look at him and smiled, but he could tell her face was sad._

"_No! Bones! Wait!" he shouted, as she turned away from him and stepped out of his sight._

_He was two steps in her direction when the light came from behind him. It was bright and warm and that foggy feeling came over him again. Surely his family was there. In the warmth. He should join them. Things might be better if he went that way. _

_Except…_

_Bones had gone the other way. He knew that. He KNEW that._

_The light would be easy again, he could tell._

_But it had always been his experience that the right thing wasn't always the easy thing and that the easy thing wasn't always what he really wanted. _

_He took a deep breath, turned his back on the light and followed his partner over the hill._

**B&B**

She sat, reunited with her daughter, in a quiet park in a DC suburb. It was empty, save a few toddlers and their nannies on the play structure. Brennan and Christine sat far from them, on a blanket in the grass, reading Christine's favorite book.

On the fourth read through, a chime came from a pocket in the diaper bag. Brennan fished a phone out, and read the screen.

"_He's awake.-A"_

Brennan blinked back tears as she smiled in both relief and sadness.

"We have to go now, Christine."

The baby giggled happily as Brennan carried her to the car, depositing the cell phone in a nearby garbage can before she strapped Christine into her seat and drove away.

It was time to run again.

* * *

_~end~_


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